Testing the Zeiss CZ.2 Compact Zoom Lenses

Zeiss has just starting shipping their new CZ.2 28-80 Compact Zoom lens. This lens joins their family of Compact Zooms, which also contains the 70-200 CZ.2 and their newly announced 15-30 CZ.2. The Compact Zoom lens family is similar to the Compact Primes in that these zooms cover the large full frame sensors that are found on cameras like the Canon 5D Mark III, 1D C, and also the large sensor area of the Red Epic Dragon at 6K. They also have interchangeable lens mount systems (PL, EF, F, MFT, E). These features make the lenses unique in the zoom world, as well as future-proof.

Evaluating the lenses, we saw right away that the CZ.2 lenses have excellent optical performance, mechanics, and overall design, but we also wanted to tests the lenses for image quality outside of the lab. So we decided to compare them to the highest-quality Zeiss lenses, the Master & Ultra primes. Watch the video above to see how they preformed and why we think the CZ.2 zooms make a great companion to any production using Zeiss glass.

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